Five tech giants – Pixar, Adobe, Apple, Autodesk, and NVIDIA, in collaboration with the Joint Development Foundation (JDF), an affiliate of the Linux Foundation, have unveiled the Alliance for OpenUSD (AOUSD). The newly formed alliance aims to amplify the standardization, evolution, and growth of Pixar’s Universal Scene Description (USD) technology. AOUSD’s objective is to create a standardized 3D ecosystem through the progressive development of Open Universal Scene Description (OpenUSD).
By encouraging improved interoperability of 3D tools and data, the alliance intends to empower developers and content creators. This will facilitate the design, composition, and simulation of expansive 3D projects, leading to an extensive array of 3D-centric products and services. Originating from Pixar Animation Studios, OpenUSD is a high-performance 3D scene description technology renowned for its robust interoperability across multiple tools, data, and workflows.
Besides its well-known capacity to cohesively capture artistic vision and streamline cinematic content production, OpenUSD’s versatility makes it the ideal platform to cater to emerging industries and applications. The alliance plans to establish written specifications that clearly detail the features of OpenUSD, thereby promoting broader compatibility and adoption. The comprehensive documentation will enhance integration and implementation of the technology, and pave the way for inclusion by other standards bodies in their respective specifications.
The Linux Foundation’s JDF has been selected to host the project, offering an open and efficient avenue for the development of OpenUSD specifications, and creating a pathway for recognition through the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Moreover, AOUSD will act as the main platform for the collaborative definition of enhancements to the technology by the broader industry. The alliance extends an open invitation to various companies and organizations to join and contribute to shaping the future of OpenUSD.